Summary
The Family Guy time travel episodes featuring Stewie and Brian are among the show's most memorable and enjoyable adventures.
The episodes in which Stewie's time machine is featured play a significant role as it enables the characters to explore different periods in history, leading to enjoyable or emotionally charged experiences. Despite the controversial nature of certain episodes, such as "Back to the Pilot" which focuses on the events of 9/11, the Stewie and Brian episodes are frequently commended for their smart writing and daring sense of comedy.
The Family Guy time travel episodes are unforgettable adventures in the series, as Brian and Stewie venture into various historical eras. They often find themselves in amusing and unconventional situations during their road trips, which sheds light on their unique relationship. While these episodes are always a treat, fans are in for a special treat when Stewie and Brian embark on their time-traveling escapades, taking Family Guy to new heights.
One of Brian and Stewie's favorite pastimes in the Family Guy time travel episodes is utilizing Stewie's time machine. In Season 1, Stewie constructed the time machine to alleviate the discomfort of teething. While other characters in Family Guy have also experimented with the device to journey through time, Stewie and Brian remain the central figures in this cinematic phenomenon. They make use of this time machine to have endless fun and create some of the most poignant moments in the show's history. Delve into every episode of Family Guy where Stewie and Brian embark on their incredible time-traveling adventures.
The Road To Germany
The first time travel adventure of Stewie and Brian in the Family Guy series took place in season 7, episode 3 titled "Road to Germany." It all begins when Mort Goldman accidentally enters Stewie's time machine, mistakenly assuming it to be a bathroom at the Griffin's house. Realizing the need to bring him back, Stewie and Brian make the decision to travel back in time and follow Mort. Their journey takes them to 1939 Germany, right before the outbreak of World War II.
In this episode, "Road to Germany," they swiftly locate Mort but encounter a problem with the return pad, which is necessary to go back to their own time. To solve this, Brian, Mort, and Stewie head to England with Nazis hot on their trail, in search of uranium fuel that powers the return pad. After successfully obtaining the uranium by having Stewie disguise as Hitler, they manage to return home safely, just 30 seconds before Mort initially entered Stewie's room. However, to ensure that these events do not happen again, Stewie takes drastic measures by killing the Mort that traveled through time, by placing him in the time machine and destroying it.
The Big Bang Theory
In season 9, episode 6 of Family Guy titled "The Big Bang Theory," Stewie and Brian embark on another time travel adventure. Instead of being a crossover with the popular sitcom, this episode focuses on Stewie's near-erasure from the universe. It all begins when Stewie mocks Brian using the time machine, leading to a dispute over its control. This leads them outside the realm of space and time, where Stewie realizes he was responsible for the creation of the universe through the Big Bang.
Upon returning to the correct moment in time, Stewie's half-brother Bertram decides to use the time machine to eliminate Stewie from existence. This forces Stewie and Brian to journey back in time once again, aiming to prevent Bertram's actions. During this adventure, Stewie discovers that Leonardo da Vinci is his ancestor. As the story unfolds, Stewie finds himself compelled to kill Bertram, one of his formidable rivals, and take on the role of his own ancestor before returning to the present day.
Back To The Pilot
In Family Guy season 10, episode 5 entitled "Back to the Pilot," Brian and Stewie embark on a unique journey through time. It all starts when Brian expresses a desire to locate a tennis ball he buried a decade ago. In response, Stewie offers to accompany his canine friend on a time-traveling adventure to uncover its whereabouts. As a result, they find themselves transported to the very first episode of Family Guy. However, their attempts to set things right are derailed when Brian divulges information about 9/11 to his past self, resulting in a chain of events that lead to a post-apocalyptic future for the United States. Determined to rectify the situation, Brian and Stewie make another trip to the past. Initially unsuccessful, they inadvertently alter Brian's origin and he becomes the author of the Harry Potter books. As they continue to navigate through time, they encounter multiple versions of themselves from various future timelines. Ultimately, their journey concludes when the original Stewie ensures that he and Brian never travel back in time in the first place.
Yug Ylimaf
In the Family Guy season 11, episode 4, titled "Yug Ylimaf," Stewie and Brian embark on another time travel adventure. Their journey begins when Brian mistakenly increases the trip counter on Stewie's time machine while using it to attract women. In an attempt to fix his error, Brian inadvertently breaks the machine.
As they work together to repair the time machine, a sudden explosion occurs, causing time to reverse at an accelerated pace. With limited time, they race against the clock to restore the normal flow of time and prevent Stewie from being erased from existence. As Stewie's birth draws near, he runs out of time and entrusts Brian with completing the repairs.
With great effort, Brian successfully fixes the time machine, allowing time to resume its regular course. Just in the nick of time, Brian arrives at the hospital as Stewie is born once again.
Life Of Brian
In the renowned "Life of Brian," episode 6 of Family Guy's twelfth season, a significant event occurs as Brian, a beloved character, meets his demise. The storyline commences with Brian and Stewie embarking on yet another time-travel escapade. Their journey takes them back to Jamestown, following a prior adventure wherein they armed the Native Americans for self-defense.
Upon bidding farewell to their original counterparts, the new versions of Stewie and Brian intercept the Native Americans and reclaim the firearms. With a multitude of perilous encounters, they ultimately return to the present day and, realizing the dangers they have faced, decide to permanently dismantle the time machine. Tragically, shortly thereafter, Brian falls victim to a car accident, leaving Stewie unable to alter the course of events by revisiting the past or reconstructing the time machine.
Christmas Guy
It is logical that one of the episodes in Family Guy involving time travel would be utilized to reverse the controversial killing of Brian. Although "Christmas Guy" does not explicitly depict Brian accompanying Stewie on the journey to the past, the dog remains an essential element of the storyline. While at the mall, Stewie encounters an earlier version of himself from before Brian's demise. This encounter sparks Stewie's idea to acquire Stewie's return pad, enabling him to travel back in time and rescue Brian. Successfully altering the timeline, Stewie saves Brian from being struck by a car. Subsequently, Stewie sends the return pad to the present, causing him to gradually vanish from existence.
Stewie, Chris, & Brian's Excellent Adventure
In the season 13, episode 7 of the show, titled "Stewie, Chris & Brian's Excellent Adventure," Stewie and Brian embark on their latest time travel escapade. This time, the plot revolves around Chris, who is in danger of failing the 9th grade unless he can pass his upcoming history test. As a result, Stewie and Brian attempt to assist Chris with his studies, but soon realize that traditional studying methods are not effective for him.
Baby Stewie
Later on, Chris is taken on a historical journey that broadens his understanding. Throughout this voyage, he discovers the significance of the Louisiana Purchase, gets acquainted with the renowned writer Ernest Hemingway, and even sets foot on the ill-fated Titanic. Even though Chris fails to retain much knowledge from this extraordinary experience, it inadvertently leads to the demise of his history teacher's ancestor. Consequently, he gains a new history teacher who places less emphasis on grades.Stewie Griffin from the animated comedy series Family Guy.
In a departure from the typical Stewie and Brian escapades, a noteworthy Family Guy time travel episode is "Baby Stewie," officially part of season 18, episode 15. During this installment, Brian brings to Stewie's attention the fact that his intelligence will decline during adolescence. Brian convinces Stewie of this reality by presenting a video showcasing Chris Griffin's brilliance as a baby. Subsequently, Stewie resolves to halt the aging process by altering his DNA.
The Family Guy 9/11 Episode Featuring Time Travel Caused Huge Controversy
In the process, he accidentally transforms himself into a regular infant. Unable to handle the presence of an actual baby Stewie, Brian decides to travel back in time to convince Stewie that Chris's video was simply a joke by playing it in reverse. While this episode doesn't feature the typical Stewie and Brian time travel escapades, it heavily relies on the time machine itself and is noteworthy for its abundance of hilarious moments between Brian and Stewie.Family Guy has never been a stranger to controversy and, during the adult animation boom of the late '00s and beyond, it was only rivaled by South Park in terms of moments that caused outrage. However, one particular episode that still manages to provoke audiences is "Back To The Pilot" from season 10, where Brian and Stewie travel through time with a focus on the events of 9/11. Originally airing in 2011, this episode created a public outcry and continued to generate headlines for years when it was re-aired on live TV.
The line "We did it, Brian - we made 9/11 happen! High-five!" and the overall concept of the September 11th attacks being intentionally caused received strong backlash from a significant portion of viewers. Even those who had never watched the show expressed their concerns online. Despite attempts by the Family Guy writers to make the jokes self-referential, such as Stewie remarking, "Wow. That probably wouldn't look good out of context!" immediately after the aforementioned joke, many felt that this marked the moment when Family Guy went too far.
However, despite the controversy, Family Guy continued to be aired for well over a decade. The show had previously been canceled, but this occurred long before the episode "Back To The Pilot" was released. While some found the time-traveling Family Guy 9/11 episode to be in poor taste, there were commentators who rightly recognized that its purpose was to provide social commentary. The episode was not out of line with the show's style, as the edgy Family Guy had already included 9/11 jokes in the past.
This is significant because complaints of this nature hold more weight when viewers are deceived into confronting challenging subjects in their media consumption by shows that typically avoid such topics. "Back To The Pilot" also made insightful observations about the impact of 9/11 on the United States and speculated on how the 21st century might have unfolded differently if the tragedy had been prevented – it may be uncomfortable, but not too taboo for the subsequent post-episode discussions. Family Guy may have addressed the subject in a controversial manner, but that is expected from a show that has garnered a following through its dark and edgy humor.
Brian & Stewie Episodes Are Often Among Family Guy's Best
It's no surprise that there have been numerous time-travel adventures featuring Stewie and Brian in Family Guy. These episodes, such as "Back To The Pilot" and "Yug Ylimaf," stand out as some of the best due to their clever storytelling, showcasing the show's ability to break from its reliance on pop culture references and random cutaway gags.
Family Guy's time travel episodes enable the show to defy conventions, delve into unexpected scenarios, and push the limits of humor. Even controversial choices, such as the elimination of Brian, can find redemption within a time travel narrative. As Family Guy shows no indication of slowing down, fans can anticipate a plethora of future episodes that revolve around time travel.